These Ice Lanterns are very easy to make, incredibly inexpensive (practically free!) and are absolutely beautiful when lit on your doorstep through a cold night. Make these any time this winter: for New Year's Eve, a party, or any chilly evening. You can make various sizes and can even dye the water to make colored lantern! With just a few supplies you can DIY these gorgeous lanterns!

Materials:

water (use it straight from the faucet)

funnel (optional)

water pitcher (optional)

1 balloon

freezer

tea lights

Instructions:

Step 1: Fill the balloon with water until you are satisfied with the size.This will be the size of your lanter. I made two different sizes, and I think it would be adorable to try some water-balloon sized lanterns.

Step 2: Tie off the balloon and put it in your freezer. (make sure to clear out a space in your freezer beforehand!) Let it sit for at least 4 to 5 hours. Larger lanterns may take more timel I waited 10 hours for my larger one!

Step 3: After the allotted time, feel the top of the balloon to make sure it is sufficiently frozen. Essentially you should feel that the ice has formed a relatively thick shell. The bottom will have an indentation in the ice where there was an air bubble and you may feel the water inside. This indentation should be frozen and set well, so it is not fragile enough to breaks when you push on the balloon.

Step 4: If you are satisfies that your lantern is frozen, gently remove it from the freezer and put it carefully into your sink. Cut open the balloon. Be prepared for some really cold water to splash out! The water inside the latern can be dumped out to create the space for the candles.

Step 5: Place the lanterns back into the freezer until you are ready to use them.

Step 6: When you are ready to display the lanterns,light some tea lights and place the inside the lanterns. Display your new lanterns outside (in freezing temperatures!) for all the world to see!

Living in Salt Lake City with her husband and son, Kersey blogs daily over on And We Play about her recent craft tutorials, fun finds and her family’s adventures in their daily life. When she’s not blogging or creating, you can usually find her consuming large amounts of sushi, finding excuses to throw a party and playing with her son, Elliott.